Glossary of Billiard Terms GLOSSARY OF BILLIARD TERMS From the 'Billiard Congress of America Official Rules and Records Book.' ANGLED. (Snooker, pocket games) When the corner of a pocket prevents a player shooting the cue ball directly at an object ball. (See corner-hooked) ANGLE SHOT. (Pocket games) A shot that requires the cue ball to drive the object ball other than straight ahead. (See cut shot) APEX OF TRIANGLE. (Pocket games) The position in the grouping of object balls that is on the foot spot; the front ball position of the pyramid or rack. AROUND THE TABLE. (Carom games) Describes shots in which the cue ball contacts three or more cushions, usually including the two short cushions, in an effort to score. BALANCE POINT. (General) The point on a cue at which it would remain level if held by a single support, usually about 18" from the butt end of the cue. BALL IN HAND. (Pocket games) See cue ball in hand. BALL ON. (Snooker) A colored (non-red) ball a player intends to legally pocket; same as on ball. BANK SHOT.

(Pocket games) A shot in which the object ball is driven to one or more cushions before it is pocketed; incidental contact as a ball moves along and adjacent to a cushion does not qualify as a cushion or bank. It is not an obvious shot and must be called in games requiring called shots. (See kick shot) BAULK. (Snooker) The intervening space between the bottom cushion and the Baulk-line. BAULK-LINE. (Snooker) A straight line drawn 29" from the face of the bottom cushion and parallel to it. BED OF TABLE. (General) The flat, cloth-covered surface of the table within the cushions; the playing area exclusive of the cushions. BILLIARD. (Carom games) A count or score; a successful shot. BLIND DRAW. (General) A method used to determine pairings or bracketing of players in tournaments that assures totally random placement or pairing of contestants. BOTTLE. (Pocket games) A specially shaped leather or plastic container used in various games. (Also called the shake bottle) BOTTOM CUSHION. (Snooker) The cushion located at the head of a snooker table--closest to the D. BREAK.

(Pocket games) See open break and opening break shot. BREAK. (Snooker) Total scored in one inning. BREAKING VIOLATION. (Pocket games) A violation of special rules which apply only to the opening break shot of certain games. Unless specified in individual game rules, a breaking violation is not a foul. BRIDGE. (General) The hand configuration that holds and guides the shaft-end of the cue during play. (See mechanical bridge) BURST. (Forty-One Pocket Billiards) Scoring a total of more than 41 points. BUTT OF CUE. (General) The larger end of a cue, opposite the tip. On a two-piece cue, the butt extends up to the joint. CALL SHOT. (Pocket games) Requirement that a player designate, in advance of each shot, the ball to be made and the pocket into which it will be made. In calling the shot, it is NEVER necessary to indicate details such as the number of cushions, banks, kisses, caroms, etc. The rules of "Bank Pool" are an exception. CALLED BALL. (Pocket games) The ball the player has designated to be pocketed on a shot. CALLED POCKET.

(Pocket games) The pocket which a player has designated a ball to be shot. CAROM. (General) To bounce off or glance off an object ball or cushion; a shot in which the cue ball bounces off one ball into another is termed a carom. CAROM, SCORING. (General) Contact by the cue ball with object balls, the bottle or cushions in such a way that a legal score is made, according to specific game rules. CENTER SPOT. (General) The exact center point of a table's playing surface. CHALK. (General) A dry, slightly abrasive substance that is applied to the cue tip to help assure a non-slip contact between the cue tip and the cue ball. CHUCK NURSE. (Straight Rail Billiards) A scoring technique used when one object ball rests against the cushion and the second object ball is to one side of the first ball and away from the cushion. Cue ball strikes the object ball at the cushion so that the cue ball just comes back to touch (carom) the second object ball without moving it out of position for a similar subsequent shot. CLEAN BANK.

(Bank Pocket Billiards) A shot in which the object ball being played does not touch any other object balls (i.e., no kisses, no combinations). CLEAR BALL. (Carom games) The all-white ball, devoid of any markings, used in carom games. (See spot ball) COMBINATION. (Pocket games) Shot in which the cue ball first strikes a ball other than the one to be pocketed, with the ball initially contacted in turn striking one or more other balls in an effort to score. COMBINATION ON. (Pocket games) Two or more balls positioned in such a way that a ball can be driven into a called pocket with a combination shot; often called a "dead combo" or an "on combo." COMBINATION ON. (Snooker) See plant. CONTACT POINT. (General) The precise point of contact between the cue ball and the object ball when the cue ball strikes the object ball. CORNER-HOOKED. (Pocket games, Snooker) When the corner of a pocket prevents shooting the cue ball in a straight path directly to an object ball, the cue ball is corner-hooked; same as angled. COUNT. (General) A score; a successful shot.

COUNT, THE. (General) The running score at any point during a player's inning in games where numerous points are scored successively. CROSS CORNER. (Pocket games) Term used to describe a bank shot that will rebound from a cushion and into a corner pocket. CROSS SIDE. (Pocket games) Term used to describe a bank shot that will rebound from a cushion and into a side pocket. CROSS TABLE SHOT. (Carom games) Shot in which scoring is accomplished by driving the cue ball across the table between the long cushion. CROTCH. (Carom games) The corner area of a carom table in straight-rail billiards in which a player may score no more than three successive counts with the balls before driving at least one object ball out of the area. The four crotches are defined as those spaces within crotch lines drawn between first diamond on the end rail to the second diamond on the side rail. CRUTCH. (General) Slang term for the mechanical bridge. CUE. (General) Tapered device, usually wooden, used to strike the cue ball to execute carom or pocket billiard shots. (Also called cue stick) CUE BALL.

(General) The white, unnumbered ball that is always struck by the cue during play. CUE BALL IN HAND. (Pocket games) Cue ball may be put into play anywhere on the playing surface. CUE BALL IN HAND BEHIND THE HEAD STRING. (Pocket games) Cue ball may be put into play anywhere between the head string and the cushion on the head end of the table not in contact with an object ball. CUE BALL IN HAND WITHIN THE D. (Snooker) See cue ball in hand within the half-circle. CUE BALL IN HAND WITHIN THE HALF-CIRCLE. (Snooker) The cue ball is in hand within the half-circle when it has entered a pocket or has been forced off the table. The base of the cue ball may be placed anywhere within or on the half-circle. It remains in hand until the player strikes the cue ball with the tip of the cue or a foul is committed while the ball is on the table. CUE TIP. (General) A piece of specially processed leather or other fibrous or pliable material attached to the shaft end of the cue that contacts the cue ball when a shot is executed. CUSHION.

(General) The cloth-covered rubber which borders the inside of the rails on carom and pocket billiard tables; together the cushions form the outer perimeter of the basic playing surface. CUT SHOT. (Pocket games) A shot in which the cue ball contacts the object ball to one side or the other of full center, thus driving it in a direction other than that of the initial cue ball path. D. (Snooker) An area, semi-circular in shape, with the straight side formed by the line drawn between the spot for the yellow and the spot for the green measured 29 inches out from the face of the bottom cushion (sometimes referred to as the baulk line) and the semi-circle is determined by the size of the table being used. DEAD BALL. (Pocket games) A cue ball stroked in such a manner that virtually all of the speed and/or spin of the cue ball is transferred to the object ball, the cue ball retaining very little or none after contact. DEAD BALL SHOT. (Pocket games) A shot in which a dead ball stroke is employed; often called a kill shot, because of the relative lack of cue ball motion after contact with the object ball. DEAD COMBINATION.

(Pocket games) See combination on. DIAMONDS. (General) Inlays or markings on the table rails that are used as reference or target points. The diamonds are essential for the utilization of numerous mathematical systems employed by carom and pocket games players. DRAW SHOT. (General) A shot in which the cue ball is struck below center, and the resulting back spin causes the cue ball to return towards the player after full contact with an object ball. DROP POCKETS. (Pocket games) Type of pockets with no automatic return of the balls to the foot end of the table; balls must be removed manually. DOUBLE ELIMINATION. (General) A tournament format in which a player is not eliminated until he has sustained two match losses. DOUBLE HIT. (General) A shot on which the cue ball is struck twice by the cue tip on the same stroke. DOUBLE ROUND ROBIN. (General) A tournament format in which each contestant in a field plays each of the other players twice. ENGLISH. (General) Side spin applied to the cue ball by striking it off center; used to alter the natural roll of the cue ball and/or the object ball. FEATHER SHOT.

(General) A shot in which the cue ball barely touches or grazes the object ball; an extremely thin cut. FERRULE. (General) A piece of protective material (usually plastic, horn or metal) at the end of the cue shaft, onto which the cue tip is attached. FOLLOW SHOT. (General) A shot in which the cue ball is struck above center and the resulting forward spin causes the cue ball to roll forward after contact with an object ball. FOLLOW-THROUGH. (General) The movement of the cue after contact with the cue ball through the area previously occupied by the cue ball. FOOT OF TABLE. (General) The end of a carom or pocket billiard table at which the balls are racked or positioned at the start of a game. FOOT SPOT. (General) The point on the foot end of the table where imaginary lines drawn between the center diamonds of the short rails and the second diamonds of the long rails intersect. FOOT STRING. (General) A line on the foot end of the table between the second diamonds of the long rails, passing through the foot spot. The foot string is never drawn on the table, and has no use in play. FORCE.

(General) The power applied on the stroke to the cue ball, which may result in distortion and altering of natural angles and action of the ball. FORCE DRAW. (General) A shot with extreme follow, usually directly at and then "through" an object ball. FORCE FOLLOW. (General) A follow shot with extreme overspin applied to the cue ball, with the term generally used in reference to shots in which the cue ball is shot directly at and then "through" an object ball, with a pronounced hesitation or stop before the overspin propels the cue ball forward in the general direction of the stroke. FOUL. (General) An infraction of the rules of play, as defined in either the general or the specific game rules. (Not all rule infractions are fouls.) Fouls result in a penalty, also dependent on specific game rules. FOUL STROKE. (General) A stroke on which a foul takes place. FRAME. (Snooker) The equivalent of one game in snooker. FREE BALL.

(Snooker) After a foul, if the cue ball is snookered, the referee shall state "Free Ball." If the non-offending player takes the next stroke he may nominate any ball as on, and for this stroke, such ball shall be regarded as, and acquire the value of, the ball on. FREE BREAK. (Pocket games) An opening break shot in which a wide spread of the object balls may be achieved without penalty or risk. Free breaks are detailed in individual games rules. FROZEN. (General) A ball touching another ball or cushion. FULL BALL. (General) Contact of the cue ball with an object ball at a contact point on a line bisecting the centers of the cue ball and object ball. GAME. The course of play that starts when the referee has finished racking the balls, and ends at the conclusion of a legal shot which pockets the last required ball. In 14.1 continuous, a game lasts several racks. GAME BALL. (General) The ball which, if pocketed legally, would produce victory in a game. GATHER SHOT.

(Carom games) A shot on which appropriate technique and speed are employed to drive one or more balls away from the other(s) in such a manner that when the stroke is complete, the balls have come back together closely enough to present a comparatively easy scoring opportunity for the next shot. GRIP. (General) The manner in which the butt of the cue is held in the hand. GULLY TABLE. (Pocket games) A table with pockets and a return system that delivers the balls as they are pocketed to a collection bin on the foot end of the table. HANDICAPPING. (General) Modifications in the scoring and/or rules of games to enable players of differing abilities to compete on more even terms. HEAD OF TABLE. (General) The end of a carom or pocket billiard table from which the opening break is performed; the end normally marked with the manufacturer's nameplate. HEAD SPOT. (General) The point on the head of the table where imaginary lines drawn between the center diamonds of the short rails and the second diamonds of the long rails intersect. HEAD STRING. (General) A line on the head end of the table between the second diamonds of the long rails, passing through the head spot. HICKEY.

(Snooker Golf) Any foul. HIGH RUN. (14.1 Continuous) During a specified segment of play, the greatest number of balls scored in one turn (inning) at the table. HOLD. (General) English which stops the cue ball from continuing the course of natural roll it would take after having been driven in a certain direction. INNING. (General) A turn at the table by a player, and which may last for several racks in some pocket games. IN HAND. (Pocket games) See cue ball in hand. IN HAND BEHIND THE HEAD STRING. (Pocket games) See cue ball in hand behind the head string. IN-OFF. (Snooker) A losing hazard; that is, when the cue ball enters a pocket. The snooker equivalent of a scratch. IN THE RACK. (14.1 Continuous) A ball that would interfere with the reracking of the object balls in 14.1 Continuous that extend past one rack. JAW. (Pocket games) The slanted part of the cushion that is cut at an angle to form the opening from the bed of the table into the pocket. JAWED BALL.

(Pocket games) Generally refers to a ball that fails to drop because it bounces back and forth against the jaws of a pocket. JOINT. (General) On two-piece cues, the screw-and-thread device, approximately midway in the cue, that permits it to be broken down into two separate sections. JUMP SHOT. (General) A shot in which the cue ball or object ball is caused to rise off the bed of the table. JUMPED BALL. (General) A ball that has left and remained off the playing surface as the result of a stroke; a ball that is stroked in a manner which causes it to jump over another ball. KEY BALL. (14.1 Continuous) The 14th ball of each rack; called the key ball because it is so critical in obtaining position for the all important first (or break) shot of each reracking of the balls. KICK SHOT. (General) A shot in which the cue ball banks off a cushion(s) prior to making contact with an object ball or scoring. KILL SHOT. (Pocket games) See dead ball shot. KISS. (General) Contact between balls. (See kiss shot) KISS SHOT.

(Pocket games) A shot in which more than one contact with object balls is made by the cue ball; for example, the cue ball might kiss from one object ball into another to score the latter ball. Shots in which object balls carom off one or more other object balls to be pocketed. (Also called carom shots) KISS-OUT. (General) Accidental contact between balls that causes a shot to fail. KITCHEN. (Pocket games) A slang term used to describe the area of the table between the head string and the cushion on the head end of the table. (Also called the area above the head string) LAG. (Carom games) A shot in which the cue ball is shot three or more cushions before contacting the object balls. LAG FOR BREAK. (General) Procedure used to determine starting player of game. Each player shoots a ball from behind the head string to the foot cushion, attempting to return the ball as closely as possible to the head cushion. LEAVE. (Pocket games) The position of the balls after a player's shot. LONG.

(General) Usually refers to a ball which, due to english and speed, travels a path with wider angles than those that are standard for such a ball if struck with natural english and moderate speed. LONG STRING. (Pocket games) A line drawn from the center of the foot cushion to the foot spot (and beyond if necessary) on which balls are spotted. LOSING HAZARD. (Snooker) Occurs when the cue ball is pocketed after contact with an object ball. LOT. (General) Procedures used, not involving billiard skills, to determine starting player or order of play. Common methods used are flipping coins, drawing straws, drawing cards, or drawing peas or pills. MASSE SHOT. (General) A shot in which extreme english is applied to the cue ball by elevating the cue butt at an angle with the bed of the table of anywhere between 30 and 90 degrees. The cue ball usually takes a curved path, with more curve resulting from increasing cue stick elevation. MATCH. The course of play that starts when the players are ready to lag and ends when the deciding game ends. MECHANICAL BRIDGE.

(General) A grooved device mounted on a handle providing support for the shaft of the cue during shots difficult to reach with normal bridge hand. Also called a crutch or rake. MISCUE. (General) A stroke which results in the cue tip contact with cue ball being faulty. Usually the cue tip slides off the cue ball without full transmission of the desired stroke. The stroke usually results i a sharp sound and discoloration of the tip and/or the cue ball at the point of contact. MISS. (General Failure to execute a completed shot. MISS. (Snooker) The call the referee makes in snooker if it is judged the player has not endeavored to the best of his ability to hit the ball on. NATURAL. (Carom games) A shot with only natural angle and stroke required for successful execution; a simple or easily visualized, and accomplished, scoring opportunity. NATURAL ENGLISH. (General) Moderate sidespin applied to the cue ball that favors the direction of the cue ball path, giving the cue ball a natural roll and a bit more speed than a center hit. NATURAL ROLL. (General) Movement of the cue ball with english applied. NIP DRAW.

(General) A short, sharp stroke, employed when a normal draw stroke would result in a foul due to drawing the cue ball back into the cue tip. NURSES. (Carom games) Techniques whereby the balls are kept close to the cushions and each other, creating a succession of relatively easy scoring opportunities. OBJECT BALLS. (General) The balls other than the cue ball on a shot. OBJECT BALL, THE. (Pocket games) The particular object ball being played on a shot. ON BALL. (Snooker) See ball on. OPEN BREAK. (Pocket games) The requirement in certain games that a player must drive a minimum of four object balls out of the rack to the cushions in order for the shot to be legal. OPENING BREAK SHOT. (General) The first shot of a game. PEAS. (Pocket games) Small plastic or wooden balls numbered 1 through 15 or 16, use defined in specific games rules. (Called pills.) PILLS. (Pocket games) See peas. PLANT. (Snooker) A position of two or more red balls that allows a ball to be driven into a pocket with a combination shot. POSITION.

(General) The placement of the cue ball on each shot relative to the next planned shot. Also called shape. POT. (Snooker) The pocketing of an object ball. POWDER. (General) Talc or other fine, powdery substance used to facilitate free, easy movement of the cue shaft through the bridge. POWER DRAW SHOT. (General) Extreme draw applied to the cue ball. (See force draw.) PUSH SHOT. (General) A shot in which the cue tip maintains contact with the cue ball beyond the split second allowed for a normal and legally stroked shot. PYRAMID. (Pocket games) Positioning of the object balls in a triangular grouping (with the front apex ball on the foot spot), used to begin many pocket billiard games. PYRAMID SPOT. (Snooker) The same as the pink spot. The spot is marked midway between the center spot and the face of the top cushion. RACE. (General) Pre-determined number of games necessary to win a match or set of games.

For example, a match that is the best 11 out of 21 games is called a race to 11, and ends when one player has won 11 games. RACK. The triangular equipment used for gathering the balls into the formation required by the game being played. RAILS. (General) The top surface of the table, not covered by cloth, from which the cushions protrude toward the playing surface. The head and foot rails are the short rails on those ends of the table; the right and left rails are the long rails, dictated by standing at the head end of the table and facing the foot end. RED BALL. (Carom games) The red-colored object ball. (Also the name of a particular 3-cushion billiard game.) REST. (Snooker) The mechanical bridge. REVERSE ENGLISH. (General) Sidespin applied to the cue ball, that favors the opposite direction of the natural cue ball path - i.e. inside english. ROUND ROBIN. (General) A tournament format in which each contestant plays each of the other players once. RUNNING ENGLISH.

(General) Sidespin applied to the cue ball which causes it to rebound from an object ball or a cushion at a narrower angle and at a faster speed than it would if struck at the same speed and direction without english. RUN. (General) The total of consecutive scores, points or counts made by a player in one inning. The term is also used to indicate the total number of full short-rack games won without a missed shot in a match or tournament. SAFETY. (General) Defensive positioning of the balls so as to minimize the opponent's chances to score. (The nature and rules concerning safety play are decidedly different in specific games.) Player's inning ends after a safety play. SCRATCH. (Carom games) To score a point largely by accident, due to an unanticipated kiss, unplanned time-shot, etc. SCRATCH. (Pocket games) The cue ball is going into a pocket on a stroke. SEEDING. (General) Pre-determined initial pairings or advanced positioning of players in a field of tournament competition. SET. (General) Pre-determined number of games necessary to win a match. SHAFT. (General) The thinner part of a cue, on which the cue tip is attached.

On a two-piece cue, the shaft extends from the cue tip to the joint. SHAKE BOTTLE. (Pocket games) See bottle. SHOT. An action that begins at the instant the cue tip contacts the cue ball, and ends when all balls in play stop rolling and spinning. SHOT CLOCK. (General) Any timing device used to gauge the time limit in which a player is allowed to play a shot. The timing device must have at least the functions of a stop watch: reset to zero, start, and stop. A simple wrist watch without timing functions is not sufficient. SHORT. (General) Usually refers to a ball which, due to english and stroke, travels a path with narrower angles than those for a ball struck without english. SHORT-RACK. (Pocket games) Games which utilize fewer than 15 countable object balls. SINGLE ELIMINATION. (General) A tournament format in which a single loss eliminates a player from the competition. SNAKE. (Carom games) A shot in which the use of english causes the cue ball to make three or more cushion contacts, though utilizing only two different cushions. Also called a double-the-rail shot. SNOOKERED.

(Snooker) The condition of incoming player's cue ball position when he cannot shoot in a straight line and contact all portions of an on ball directly facing the cue ball (because of balls not "on" that block the path. SPLIT DOUBLE ELIMINATION. (General) A modification of the double elimination tournament format, in which the field is divided into sections, with one player emerging from each of the sections to compete for the championship, in a single showdown match for the championship. SPLIT HIT. A shot in which it cannot be determined which object ball(s) the cue ball contacted first, due to the close proximity of the object balls. SPOT. (General) The thin, circular piece of cloth or paper glued onto the cloth to indicate the spot locality (i.e.., head spot, center spot, foot spot); also an expression to describe a handicap. SPOT BALL. (Carom games) The white ball differentiated from the clear by on or more markings; usually spots, dots or circles. SPOT SHOT. (Pocket games) Player shoots a ball on the foot spot with the cue ball in hand behind the head string. SPOTTING BALLS.

(General) Replacing balls to the table in positions as dictated by specific game rules. STANCE. (General The position of the body during shooting. STOP SHOT. (Pocket games) A shot in which the cue ball stops immediately upon striking the object ball. STRIKER. (Snooker) The player who is about to shoot and has yet to complete his inning. STROKE. (General) The movement of the cue as a shot is executed. SUCCESSIVE FOULS. (Pocket games) Fouls made on consecutive strokes by the same player, also called consecutive fouls. TABLE IN POSITION. (General) Term used to indicate that the object balls remain unmoved following a shot. THROW SHOT. (Pocket games) 1. A shot in which english alters the path of the object ball. 2. A combination shot of frozen or near frozen object balls in which to rubbing of the first ball across the second ball pulls the shot away from the line joining the centers of the two balls. TIME SHOT. (General) A shot in which the cue ball (most often) moves another ball into a different position and then continues on to meet one of the moved balls for a score. TOP CUSHION.

(Snooker) The cushion located at the foot of a snooker table--closest to the black spot. TRIANGLE. (Pocket games) The triangular device used to place the balls in position for the start of most games. YELLOW BALL. (Carom games) In international competition the spot ball has been replaced by a yellow ball without any markings. Appendix:Glossary of pool, billiards and snooker - Wiktionary Appendix:Glossary of pool, billiards and snooker Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary Wikipedia The following is a glossary of traditional terms used in the three main cue sport disciplines: pool , which denotes a host of games played on a table with six pockets such as straight pool , eight-ball , nine-ball , one-pocket and bank pool ; carom billiards referring to the various carom games played on a table without pockets such as straight-rail, three-cushion , balkline and artistic billiards ; and snooker played on a special table which, like a pool table, has six pockets, but is significantly larger and has specialized refinements. The term billiards is sometimes also used to refer to all of the cue sports.

See 8 ball , under " E ", for the ball. See eight-ball main article for the game. 9 (nine) ball A[ edit ] Above Used in snooker in reference to the position of the cue ball . It is above the object ball if it is off-straight on the baulk cushion side of the imaginary line for a straight pot (e.g. "he'll want to finish above the blue in order to go into the pink and reds "). It is also common to use the term high instead [1] Action # Gambling or the potential for gambling (US). Lively results on a ball (usually the cue ball) from the application of english . Ahead race or session A match format in which a player has to establish a lead of an agreed number of racks in order to win (e.g. in a ten ahead race a player wins when she/he has ten more racks than the opponent). [1] Aiming line An imaginary line drawn from the desired path an object ball is to be sent (usually the center of a pocket ) and the center of the object ball. Angle of incidence The angle at which a ball approaches a rail , as measured from the perpendicular to the rail.

The phrase has been in use since as early as 1653. [1] Angle of reflection The angle from which a ball rebounds from a rail, as measured from the perpendicular to the rail. [1] Arc The arc of the cue ball is the extent to which it curves as a result of a semi-massé or massé shot . Same as draw . Contrast topspin . Baize A cloth material used to cover billiard tables, usually green in colour and sometimes called felt based on a similarity on appearance, though very different in makeup. [1] See Baize main article. Balance point The point, usually around 18″ from the bottom of a cue , at which the cue will balance when resting on one hand. [1] Balkline #A type of carom billiards game created to eliminate very high runs in straight-rail . A line drawn horizontally from a point on the billiard table's long rail to the corresponding point on the opposite long rail, from which the game of balkine takes its name. [1] Not to be confused with baulk line . Ball-in-hand The option of placing the cue ball anywhere on the table prior to shooting.

Usually only available to a player when the opposing player has committed some type of foul under a particular game's rules. [1] (Cf. the free throw in basketball by way of comparison.) Ball-on Any legally strikable ball on the table in British terminology. For example, in WEPF/ UK eight-ball [2] , if a player is playing yellows , any yellow ball (or any solid, from 1 to 7, if using a solids and stripes ball set) can be the "ball-on" until they are all potted , in which case the 8 ball is the ball-on. In snooker , at the beginning of a player's turn, unless all are already potted, any red ball can be the "ball-on". Plural: "balls-on". Compare object ball . [1] Banger A derogatory term for a recreational or beginning player who "bangs" the balls without any thought for position nor attempt to control the cue ball ; also a reference to the predilection of beginners to often hit the cue ball far harder than necessary. See also potter .

Bank shot/bank A shot in which an object ball is driven to one or more rails prior to being pocketed (or in some contexts, prior to reaching its intended target; not necessarily a pocket). Sometimes "bank" is conflated to refer to kick shots as well, and in the UK it is often called a double. [1] Bar player or Bar league player A player that predominantly plays in bars or is in a bar-based pool league. Often used pejoratively by pool room players to refer to a perceived lesser skill level of such players. Bar pool Also bar rules. Pool, almost always a variant of eight-ball , that is played by bar players on a bar table . Bar pool has rules that vary from region to region, sometimes even from pub to pub in the same city, especially in the U.S. It is thus always a good idea to understand/agree to rules before engaging in a money game under bar rules. Typical differences between bar pool and tournament eight-ball are the lack of ball-in-hand after a foul, the elimination of a number of fouls, and (in U.S.

bar pool) the requirement that most aspects of a shot (rails and other balls to be contacted) be called, not just the object ball and pocket. Bar pool has evolved into this "nitpicky" version principally to make the games last longer, since bar pool is typically played on coin-operated tables that cost money per-game rather than per-hour. Competitive league pool played on bar tables, however, usually uses international, national or local/regional league rules, and is not what is usually meant by "bar pool". Depending on local dialect may also be called tavern pool, pub pool, etc. Not to be confused with the game of Bar billiards . Bar table Also bar box. Distinctive pool tables found in bars / taverns . They are almost always coin-operated and smaller than regulation-sized tables (3.5 ft. x 7 ft. is typical of bar boxes, though 4x8 and even 3x6 examples can sometimes be found). Most North American brands of bar tables have pocket proportions confusingly opposite those of regular tables — the side pockets are remarkably tight, while the corners are more generous than those of pool hall tables.

Because they are coin-operated and capture pocketed balls, they employ one of several mechanisms to return a scratched cue ball . The oversized, and extra-dense cue ball methods are deprecated, because these cue balls do not play correctly (especially with regard to cut and stop / draw shots, respectively; cf. smash-through ). Modern bar tables make use of a magnet and a regulation or near-regulation size and weight cue ball with an iron core, to separate the cue ball from the others and return it to the players. [3] Pool hall players complain also that the cloth used on bar tables is often greatly inferior (in particular that it is "slow" and that english does not "take" enough), and also often find that the cushions are not as responsive as they are used to. [1] Baulk The playing area of a table, exclusive of the cushions . [1] Below Used in snooker in reference to the position of the cue ball . It is "below" the object ball if it is off-straight on the top cushion side of the imaginary line for a straight pot (e.g. he'll want to finish below the black in order to go into the reds ).

This may seem counterintuitive, see above for an explanation. Big Also bigs, big balls, big ones. In eight-ball , to be shooting the striped suit ( group ) of balls (9 through 15); "you're big, remember", "you're big balls" or "I've got the big ones". [1] Compare stripes , yellows , high ; contrast little . Not to be confused with the carom billiards concept of a big ball . Big ball A carom billiards metaphor, it refers to an object ball positioned and being approached in such a manner that a near miss will rebound off a cushion and still score. It is as if the ball were larger than normal, making it easier to contact. Normally a ball a couple inches from a rail is a big ball, but only if being approached from an angle and if all the prerequisite rails have already been contacted. A ball near a corner can effectively be a foot wide. Not to be confused with the eight-ball term "the big balls". In older British usage the concept was referred to as "large ball". [1] See also " big pocket ".

Big pocket A pocket billiards term (inherited from carom billards by way of " big ball ", above), it is a metaphor for a shot that is very difficult to miss pocketing for any of a number of reasons, most commonly either because the object ball is positioned such that a near miss on one side of it will likely cause the cue ball to rebound into the object ball off of the rail and pocket it anyway, or another ball is positioned such that if the target ball does not go straight in, it is still likely to go in off of the other ball in a kiss . It is as if the pocket, for this one shot, had become larger. The term can also refer to the angle of shot toward a pocket, especially a side pocket; the pocket is said to be "bigger", for example, on a shot that is only a 5-degree angle away from straight on, than on a 45-degree angle shot which is much more likely to hit one of the cushion points and bounce away. Billiard Also billiard shot. Any shot in which the cue ball is caromed off an object ball to strike another object ball (with or without contacting cushions in the interim).

[1] In certain carom billiards games such as three-cushion , a successful attempt at making a scoring billiard shot under the rules for that game (such as contacting three cushions with the cue ball while executing the billiard). A failed attempt at scoring would, in this context, not be called "a billiard" by players of such games even if it satisfied the first, more general definition. Billiards In the US, generally refers to the carom games , or sometimes to all cue sports . In the UK, it usually means the game of English billiards . In Europe and otherwise outside the US and UK, it usually refers to carom games. Historically, it universally meant cue sports in general. Black ball Also the black. In snooker , the highest-value colour ball on the table, being worth seven points. [1] In some (especially American) snooker ball sets it is numbered "7" on its surface. Same as Break and run . (Chiefly British.) Break and run Also break and run out.

In pocket billiards , when a player breaks the balls, pockets at least one ball on the break, and commences to run out the remaining balls without the opponent getting a turn at the table. Multiple break-and-runs occur quite frequently in professional play, but anything higher than five racks in a row is considered very good (Earl Strickland once broke and ran eleven racks in a row to win $1,000,000 during a tournament that had a promotion that anyone who could break and run ten in row would win the million. [citation needed]) See also run the rack . Break down one's cue To take one's two-piece cue stick apart, often indicating that the game is over or conceded. [1] Bridge Either the player's hand or a mechanical bridge used to support the shaft end of the cue stick during a shot. Also the particular hand formation used for this purpose. [1] Bridge hand The hand used by a player as a bridge during a normal shot that doesn't involve a mechanical bridge . The bridge hand is usually a player's non-dominant hand. [1] Brown C[ edit ] Calcutta A player's auction at a pool tournament.

Each player is called and players and spectators bid on the player. The highest bidder pays their bid to the calcutta, and then essentially has invested in that player's success. The highest bidder(s) on the player(s) that win or advance far enough in the tournament is/are entitled to their share of all money used for bids. Call Any instance of a player having to say what they are about to do, or have already done. For example, in eight ball a player must call the pocket in which a ball is intended to be potted. Contrast fish . Call-shot Also called-shot. Any game in which during normal play a player must call the ball to be hit and the intended pocket; "eight-ball is a call-shot game." Sometimes referred to as "call[ed] pocket" to distinguish it from the common American bar pool practice of requiring every aspect of shots to be called. Cannon The (usually unmarked) spot at the geometric center of the bed of a table. Centre pocket In the UK, one of the two pockets one either side of a pool , snooker or English billliards table halfway up the long rails .

They are cut shallower than corner pockets because they have a 180 degree aperture, instead of 90 degrees. Also commonly called a middle pocket. The term is not generally used in the US where "side pocket" prevails. Century In snooker , a break of 100 points or more, which involves potting at least 26 balls consecutively. Chalk A powdered substance placed on a cue stick's tip to increase its friction and thereby decrease slippage between the tip and cue ball. See also hand chalk . Chasing one's money The inability of some players to stop gambling once they have lost money because they "have" to get their money back. Cheat the pocket To aim at an object ball such that it will enter one side or the other, rather than the center, of a pocket. This permits the cue ball to strike the object ball at a different contact point than the most obvious one. Employed for position play and to prevent scratches on dead-straight shots in cases where draw is not desirable (or may not be dependable; see smash-through .

Check side A type of spin imparted to the cue ball to make it rebound from a cushion at a shallower angle than it would if the spin had not been used. Chinese snooker Chinese snooker on the red ball A situation where the cue ball is directly in front of another ball in the line of the shot such that the player is hampered by it, having to bridge over it awkwardly. This term is most commonly used in the game of snooker . Choke black (7 points). Although the full term includes "ball" after the colour, they are most commonly referred to with the omission of "ball", just stating the colour (e.g. "he's taken 5 blacks with reds so far"). 2. In WEPF/ UK eight-ball , a generic, collective term for the red and yellow groups of object balls , corresponding to the (originally American, but used much more widely today) solids and stripes , respectively. [2] Combination shot Also combination, combo.

Any shot in which the cue ball contacts an object ball, which in turn hits one or more additional object balls (which in turn may hit yet further object balls) to send the last-hit object ball to an intended place, usually a pocket. In the UK this is often referred to as a plant . Contact point A person who loses money gambling and keeps coming back for more; Sometimes, a poor player; As a verb, to hit the balls hard with no intention in mind other than to get lucky. Compare slop ; contrast mark and call . Flagrant foul A foul where the rules are blatantly, intentionally violated, with a stiffer penalty (e.g., loss of game) than normal. Fluke A shot that has a positive outcome for the player, although it was not what the player intended. Examples of flukes include an unexpected pot off several cushions or other balls having missed the pocket aimed for, or perhaps a lucky safety position after having missed a pot. Follow The forward rotation of the cue ball that results from a follow shot . Also called follow.

Also known as topspin , a type of spin applied to the cue ball by hitting it above its equator , causing it to spin more rapidly forward than it would simply by rolling on the cloth from a center-ball hit. Follow speeds the cue ball up, increases its travel, and widens both the carom angle after contact with an object ball , and angle of reflection off of a cushion . "Top" and "topspin" are other terms for "follow". Follow shot A shot in which the cue ball is struck above its equator with sufficient draw to cause the cue ball to travel forward after it contacts an object ball . When the object and cue balls are lined up square, the travel will be directly forward (and can sometimes even be used to pocket a second ball), while on a cut shot, the effect will alter the carom angle. Can also refer to any shot to which follow is applied, as in "follow it off the foot rail just to the left of the center diamond". Follow-through On a shot, the extension of the cue through the cue ball position during the end of a player's stroke in the direction originally aimed. Foot rail G[ edit ] Game ball The ball required to win the rack .

In snooker it is called the frame ball . See also money ball . Games on the wire To give a handicap to an opponent where they have to win a specified number less games than the other player in order to triumph in the match. Gapper An agreement between two players in a tournament, one of whom will advance to a guaranteed money prize if the match is won, to give a certain percentage of that money to the loser of the match. Gather shot In the carom games, any shot where the end result is all the balls near each other; ideally, in position for the start of a nurse on the next stroke. Ghost ball A common aiming method in which a phantom ball is imagined frozen to the object ball at the point where an imaginary line drawn between their centers is aimed at the desired target; the cue ball may then be shot at the center of the "ghost" ball and, ideally, impact the object ball at the proper aiming contact point. Go off Describes the propensity of a player losing small money at gambling to suddenly sharply increase the stakes; often continuing to lose until broke. Compare chasing your money .

Golden break In nine-ball , especially in the UK, a break shot that pots the #9 ball without fouling , in which case the player wins in one shot. See also on the snap . Goose neck H[ edit ] Half-ball hit A shot aimed such that the center of the cue ball is in line with the edge of the object ball, eclipsing half of the ball. "Hit it just a little thinner than half ball." Also notable because the carom angle the cue ball takes is more consistent than at other contact points. Half-century In snooker , a break of 50–99 points (100 points or more being called a century), which involves potting at least 12 consecutive balls. Hand chalk Powdery white chalk placed on a player's bridge hand to reduce moisture so that a cue 's shaft can slide more easily. It is not provided in many establishments as many recreational players will use far more than is necessary and transfer it all over the table's surface. Handicapping Modification of the rule and/or scoring of a game to enable players of differing abilities to compete on more even terms. Examples of handicapping include spotting balls and giving games on the wire to an opponent.

Hanger L[ edit ] Lag To determine the order of break, players (representing only themselves, or a team/partnership) each shoot a ball (usually a cue ball) from the #Kitchen to the end rail and back toward the bottom rail. This pre-game mini-competition is known as "the lag", or "lagging for the break". Whichever shooter's ball comes to rest closest to the bottom rail gets to choose who breaks. (In nine-ball and eight-ball the winner of the lag would usually keep the break, while in straight pool would likely require the loser of the lag to break.) It is permissible but not required for the lagged ball to touch or rebound from the bottom rail. Lagging is usually a two-party activity, though there are games such as cutthroat (pool) in which three players might lag. In the case of a tie, the tying shooters re-lag. The lag is most often used in tournament play or other competitions; the opponents who have been chosen to lag will each, side-by-side, strike their lagging ball at or about the same time.

When playing recreationally in pool rooms or at home, where having two or more cue balls is less likely, it is not uncommon to lag with object balls, or to take turns on lagging with a single cue ball (in which case the subsequent lag[s] is taken with the resting destination of the previously lagged ball marked using a coin, chalk, object ball, etc. The cue ball that remains closest to the opposite cushion will determine which player will break the rack. It is permissible for the lagged ball to strike the cushion on its return, although doing so is not required. Leave The cue ball's position after a shot. A "good" leave would describe an advantageous position for the next shot. Lemonade stroke Intentionally playing with an amateurish stroke to disguise one ability to play. Compare on the lemonade . Let out To allow an opponent to stop playing a set for money in exchange for something. If a player is winning a set by a large amount with $100 on the line, the player could say, "I'll let you out now for $75." This is usually meant to save pride. Little Also littles, little ones, little balls.

In eight-ball , to be shooting the solid suit ( group ) of balls (1 through 7); "you're little, remember", "you're the little balls" or "I've got the littles". Compare small , solids , reds , low , spots , dots ; contrast big . Lock A game that basically cannot be lost based on disparity of skill levels; "this game is a lock for him." Lock artist N[ edit ] Nap The direction in which the small fibers that project upward from the cloth lie. The convention in most billiards games is to brush the cloth along the table in the same direction of the nap, usually from the end that a player break . In snooker and UK eight-ball especially (American tables usually employ a napless weave), this creates the effect of creep in the direction of the nap, the most-affected shot being a slow roll into a center pocket against the nap. It is commonly referred to in the fuller term "nap of the cloth." Natural In pocket billiards, an easy shot requiring no english. In three cushion billiards, the most standard shot where the third ball is advantageously placed in a corner. 9 ball Also the 9.

The money ball ( game ball ) in a game of nine-ball . It is the last ball that must be pocketed, after the remaining eight object balls have been pocketed, or may be pocketed early to win the game so long as the lowest-numbered ball on the table is struck before the 9. In other games, such as eight-ball , the 9 is simply one of the regular object balls (a stripe , in particular.) Nip draw A short, jabbed draw stroke usually employed so as to not commit a foul (i.e. due to following through and hitting the #Cue ball twice) when the cue ball is very near to the target object ball . Nit Someone who wants too high a handicap or refuses to wager any money on a relatively fair match; a general pool room pejorative moniker. Probably derived from "nitwit". Nurse Also nurse shot.

In carom games such as straight rail , balkline and cushion caroms , where all the balls are kept near each other and a cushion, and with very soft shots, can be "nursed" down a rail on multiple successful shots that effectly replicate the same ball setup so that the nurse shot can be repeated again (and again, etc.) Excessive use of nurse shots by players skilled enough to set them up and pull them off repeatedly at will is what lead to the development of the balkline game variations. Any ball that may be legally struck by the cue ball (i.e., any ball-on ); Any ball other than the cue ball. Usage notes: When speaking very generally, e.g. about the proper way to make a kind of shot, any ball other than the cue ball is an object ball. In narrower contexts, this may not be the case. For example when playing eight-ball one might not think of the 8 ball as an object ball unless shooting for the 8. On the hill Describes a player who needs only one more game win to be victorious in the match. See also hill, hill .

On the lemonade Disguising the level of one's ability to play; also known as sandbagging or hustling (though the latter has other meanings). Compare lemonade stroke . On the snap Literally "on the break shot"; usually used in reference to pocketing the money ball on the break. See also golden break . Open bridge A bridge formed by the hand where no finger loops over the shaft of the cue. Typically, the cue stick is channeled by a "v"-shaped groove formed by the thumb and the base of the index finger. Open table In eight ball, when choice of group has not yet been decided. Often shortended to just "open". Orange crush, the R[ edit ] Race A set number of games players agree to play to; "a race to seven" means whomever wins seven game first wins the match. Rack (noun) #A geometric form, usually wooden or plastic, used to assist in setting up balls in games like eight-ball , nine-ball , and snooker . The rack allows for more consistently tight grouping of balls, which is necessary for a successful break shot.

In most games a triangle-shaped rack, capable of holding fifteen balls is employed, even if the game calls for racking less than a full ball set, such as in the game of nine-ball. Used to refer to a racked group of balls before they have been broken. In some games, refers to a single frame . S[ edit ] Safety #An intentional defensive shot, the most common goal of which is to leave the opponent either no plausible shot at all, or at least a difficult one. A shot that is called aloud as part of a game's rules; once invoked, a safety usually allows the player to pocket his or her own object ball without having to shoot again, for strategic purposes. In games such as seven-ball , in which any shot that does not result in a pocketed ball is a foul under some rules, a called safety allows the player to miss without a foul resulting. A well-played safety may result in a snooker . Scratch Pocketing of the cue ball in pocket billiards. In many games a scratch is a type of foul. Scratch is sometimes used to refer to all types of fouls. See, more generally, foul .

Screw Describes a cue ball sliding on the cloth without any topspin or backspin on it. Slip Stroke A stroking technique in which a player release his gripping hand briefly and re-grasps the cue farther back on the butt just before hitting the cue ball. Slop Also slop shot. A luck shot. Compare fish ; contrast mark and call . Also sloppy. Descriptive of any game where the rules have been varied to allow luck shots not normally allowed or where no foul rules apply. Small Also smalls, small ones, small balls. In eight-ball , to be shooting the solid suit ( group ) of balls (1 through 7); "you're the small one" or "I've got the smalls". Compare little , solids , reds , low , spots , dots ; contrast big . Smash-through The effect of shooting regulation-weight object balls with an old-fashioned over-weight bar table cue ball , such that the cue ball moves forward to occupy (sometimes only temporarily), or go beyond, the original position of the object ball, even on a draw or stop shot, because the mass of the cue ball exceeds that of the object ball.

Players who understand smash-through well can use it intentionally for position play, such as to nudge other object balls nearby the target ball. Smash-through also makes it dangerous in bar pool (when equipped with such a cue ball) to pocket straight-on ducks with a stop shot instead of by cheating the pocket because of the likelihood of scratching the cue ball. [3] Sneaky pete Any two-piece cue constructed to resemble a house cue . Snick A UK term for a pot that requires very fine contact between cue ball and object ball . See also feather . Snooker #(noun) The game of snooker . (verb) To leave the opponent (accidentally or by means of a safety ) so that a certain shot on a preferred object ball cannot be played directly in a straight line by normal cueing. It most commonly means that the object ball cannot be hit, because it is hidden by another ball or, more rarely, the knuckle of a pocket (see corner-hooked ). It can also refer to the potting angle or another significant point of contact on the object ball, blocking an otherwise more straightforward shot, even if an edge can be seen. A common related adjective describing a player in this situation is snookered.

Also known as " to hook ", for which the corresponding adjective "hooked" is also common. See also free ball . (noun) An instance of this situation (e.g. "she's put him in a difficult snooker"). A player can choose a range of shots to get out of a snooker; usually a kick shot will be implemented but semi-massés are often preferred, and in games where it is not a foul , jump shots may be employed that often yield good results for skilled players. "Snooker" is used loosely (when used at all; "hook" is favored) in the US, but has very specific definitions and subtypes (such as the total snooker ) in WEPF eight-ball. [2] Snookers required A phrase used in snooker to describe the scenario whereby there are not enough available points on the table to level the scores for the frame , therefore the trailing player needs his/her opponent to foul in order to be able to make up the deficit. The name comes from the fact that this would normally have to be achieved by placing the leading player in foul-prone situations such as difficult snookers . Solids Also solid, solid ones, solid balls.

The non-striped ball suit ( group ) of a fifteen ball set that are numbered 1 through 7 and have a solid color scheme (i.e., not including the 8 ball). As in, "I'm solid", or "you've got the solids". Compare low , small , little , reds , spots , dots ; contrast stripes . Speed A player's skill level. Speed control Use of the correct amount of cue ball speed to achieve proper position for a subsequent shot. Spider Also spider rest. A type of rest , similar to a common American-style rake bridge but with longer legs supporting the head so that the cue is higher and can reach over and around an obstructing ball to reach the cue ball . See also swan . Split In pool, the degree to which the balls move apart upon impact by the cue ball as a result of a break shot . Spot (noun) #In pool games such as nine-ball , a specific handicap given (e.g., "what spot will you give me?"). In snooker , any of the six designated points on the table on which a colour ball is replaced after it has left the playing surface (usually after it has been potted ).

In UK eight ball , (when not playing with a reds -and- yellows colour ball set) any of the group of seven balls, other than the 8 , that are a solid colour with just a circled number on the surface. In the US, these balls are usually referred to as solids or more colloquially as lows , littles or smalls . Another UK term is dots . Contrast stripes . Spot (verb) #In pool, return an illegally pocketed object ball to the table by placement on the foot spot or as near to it as possible without moving other balls (in ways that may differ from ruleset to ruleset). In snooker , return a colour ball to its designated spot on the table. Also called re-spot. In nine-ball , the giving of a handicap to the opponent where they can also win by making a ball or balls other than the 9 ball (e.g. "she spotted me the seven ball"). In eight-ball , one-pocket and straight pool , the giving of a handicap to the opponent where they have to make fewer balls than their opponent does.

In some variants of pool, to place the cue ball on the head spot or as near to it as possible inside the kitchen / baulk , after the opponent has scratched it. Spot shot The situation arising in many pool games where a ball is spotted to the table's foot spot and the cue ball must be shot from the kitchen . There is a known diamond system aiming technique for pocketing such shots without scratching the cue ball. Squeeze shot A type of combination that can be played when the second object ball is frozen to the first and lined up at one of the knuckles of the target pocket . It can normally be pocketed by hitting the first object ball on the same side as the knuckle and second object ball at a medium to hard pace. It is a somewhat counterintuitive shot because if there is the slighest gap between the two object balls the only way to pocket the second would be to hit the opposite side. The phenomenon occurs as a result of throw . Squirt Pocketing easily and controlling the cue ball well; "he's in stroke." Stun run-through A shot played with stun , but not quite enough to completely stop the cue ball , allowing for a little follow .

It is played so that a follow shot can be controlled more reliably, with a firmer strike than for a slow roll. It is widely considered as one of the most difficult shots in the game to master, but an excellent weapon in a player's armory once it has been. Stun shot A shot where the cue ball has no topspin or backspin on it when it impacts an object ball, and "stuns" out along the tangent line . Commonly shortened to just "stun." Sucker shot A shot that only a novice or fool would take. Usually because it is a guaranteed scratch or because it has a low percentage of being pocketed and is likely to leave the opponent in good position. Suit A (principally American) term in eight-ball for either of the set of seven balls ( stripes or solids ) that must be cleared before sinking the 8 ball. Borrowed from card games . Generally used in the generic, especially in rulesets or articles, rather than colloquially by players. See also group for the British equivalent.

Surgeon A player skilled at very thin cut shots , and shots in which a ball must pass cleanly through a very narrow space (such as the cue ball between two of the opponent's object balls with barely enough room) to avoid a foul and/or to pocket a ball. Such shots may be referred to as "surgery", "surgical shots", "surgical cuts", etc. (Chiefly US, colloquial.) See also feather (US) or snick (UK). Swan Also swan rest. A type of rest , similar to a spider in that the head is raised by longer supporting legs, but instead of a selection of grooves on the top for the cue to rest in there is only one, on the end of an overhanging neck, so that a player can get to the cue ball more easily if the path is blocked by two or more obstructing balls. Also known as the goose neck [2] Sweaters Those who are stakehorsing a match or have side bets on it and are "sweating the action ." Swerve An unintentional and often barely perceptible curve imparted to the path of the cue ball from the use of english without a level cue .

Swerve shot Same as #Follow . Contrast backspin . Total clearance A term used in snooker for the potting of all the balls that are racked at the beginning of the frame in a single break . The minimum total clearance affords 72 points. See also maximum . Total snooker In UK eight-ball and WEPF international rules [2] , a situation where the player cannot see any of the balls she/he wants to hit due to obstruction by other balls or the knuckle of a pocket . The player must call "total snooker" to the referee , which allows a dispensation to the player from having to hit a cushion after contacting the object ball , which is otherwise a foul . Touching ball In snooker , where the cue ball is resting in contact with another ball. If this ball is a ball that may legally be hit, then it is allowable to simply hit away from it and it counts as having hit it in the shot. If the ball moves, then a push shot must have occurred, in which case it is a foul . Triangle Form of rack that is triangle-shaped.

There are different sizes of triangle for different games, the smallest being employed in snooker and UK eight-ball and a larger triangle being used in American eight-ball (because of the different ball sizes). Template:further Trick shot An exhibition shot designed to impress either by a player's skill or knowledge of how to set the balls up and take advantage of the angles of the table; usually a combination of both. A trick shot may involve items otherwise never seen during the course of a game, such as bottles, baskets, etc., and even members of the audience being placed on or around the table. Two-shot carry A rule in common WEPF/ UK eight-ball [2] whereby after an opponent has faulted and thus yielded two shots , if the incoming shooter pots a ball on the first shot, (s)he is still allowed to miss in a later shot and take a second shot in-hand (from the "D" or from baulk , or if the opponented potted the cue ball, from anywhere) — even on the black , in most variants. Also called the "two visits" rule; i.e., the two penalty shots are considered independent visits to the table, and the limiting variants discussed at two shots below cannot logically apply.

Two shots In common UK eight-ball and WEPF rules [2] , a penalty conceded by a player after a fault . The incoming opponent is then allowed to miss twice before the faulting player is allowed another visit . Many local rules state the in-hand from the "D" or baulk (or if the opponented potted the cue ball, from anywhere) nature of the second shot is lost if a ball is potted on the first shot, that it is lost if the ball potted in the first shot was that player's last coloured ball ( object ball in their group ), and/or that there is only ever one shot on the black after a fault. See two-shot carry for more detail on a sub-rule that may apply (and eliminate the variations discussed here). Two visits U[ edit ] Umbrella shot A three cushion billiards shot in which the cue ball first strikes two cushions before hitting the first object ball then hits a third cushion before hitting the second object ball. So called because the shot opens up like an umbrella after hitting the third rail. Umbrella shots may be classified as inside or outside depending on which side of the first object the cue ball contacts.

Undercut Hitting the object ball with not enough of a cut angle; hitting the object ball too full or "fat". It is a well-known maxim that overcutting is preferable to undercutting. See also professional side of the pocket . V[ edit ] Velcro A UK term describing when a ball is tight on the cushion and a player sends the cue ball to hit both the object ball and the rail at nearly the same time; the object ball, ideally, stays tight to the rail and is thus "velcroed" to the rail. Running english is often employed to achieve this effect, hitting slightly before the ball. Velcroing is also called hugging the rail in the UK, which is the main expression used to describe this effect in the US. Visit One of the alternating turns players are allowed at the table, before a shot is played that concedes a visit to his/her opponent (e.g. he cleared up in one visit). W[ edit ] Warrior, a A ball positioned near a pocket so that a particularly positioned object ball shot at that pocket will likely go in off it, even if aimed so imperfectly that if the warrior was absent, the shot would likely result in a miss.

Usually arises when a ball is being banked to a pocket. Way #Term for object balls in the game of Chicago that are each assigned as having a set money value; typically the 5, 8, 10, 13 and 15. In games where multiple balls must be pocketed in succession to score a point, such as Cribbage or 30-ball, when the last ball necessary to score has been potted, the points given is referred to as a way. Weight To "give someone weight" is to give them a handicap so the game is more even in skill level. White ball

Question: What is the name given to a shot in snooker where the cue ball hits a red ball which hits another red ball to make it go into a pocket?
Answer: Plant